Longbranch Lou looks to continue starter success
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It’s rare to hear a trainer say they’re blessed with plentiful opportunities, but Nolan Ramsey has firmly hit a groove with Longbranch Lou. The 6-year-old gelding has earned three victories in $12,500 starter allowances on synthetic since February and will tackle the same condition at 1 1/16 miles on Monday at Gulfstream Park.
“It’s a sweet spot,” Ramsey said. “They’ve got the [$12,500] starters for the foreseeable future and we’re lucky enough to be able to have enough horses to make the race go. It’s a good spot for him and we can keep coming back in it. We’ll probably have some different plans for him once the eligibility expires, but we’re going to take full advantage of it for the time being.”
The 1 1/16-mile synthetic race will be the first leg of Monday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6, which will offer a mandatory payout for the second of eight consecutive Monday programs. The inaugural Monday Rainbow 6 last week featured a $985,000 pool, exceeding the track’s estimate of $750,000.
The six-race wager this week also includes a first-level allowance, a maiden special weight for juveniles, and three claiming races.
Since switching to Tapeta in November, Longbranch Lou has displayed consistent winning form in various starter allowances, winning 5 of 8 races at short odds. He showed considerable grit in his last two starts in April and June, winning both in photos.
“He’s definitely found his home here on the synthetic track, so we’re trying to do everything we can to keep him on his preferred surface,“ Ramsey said. “There isn’t really much I can knock on the horse. He very rarely runs a bad race, and if he does, he typically has an excuse.”
Ramsey said the gelding’s late-running style has left him with more work to do in slower races recently, though he has still managed to run his race more often than not. The last time an early leader completed an opening quarter-mile in under 24 seconds ahead of him, he closed to win by 3 3/4 lengths with an 85 Beyer Speed Figure in February.
Ramsey also entered the front-runner Hillbilly Bob in the field of seven older males on Monday, which could help the likely favorite.
“I guess it’s no secret, but yes, we’re there to set some pace and make sure the field is big enough to let the race go,” Ramsey said.
Peacethrustrength, a 4-year-old colt trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., will switch back to synthetic off a nearly three-month layoff. He made his 4-year-old debut in April, outrunning his 21-1 odds to finish a game second in a starter allowance on turf.
“The horse is going to continue to improve there, I think,” Joseph said. “He’s a big, strong horse. He has this starter eligibility, and I feel like he’s probably a bit better on the grass, but he’s very capable on the Tapeta and he should get close.”
Give Me Liberty, a 5-year-old gelding, has finished behind Longbranch Lou on four occasions since November, but he came dangerously close to springing the upset last month. The Diley Dakin trainee led by three lengths at the top of the stretch before coming up short by a neck.
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